Kalanchoe plant named ‘Don Juan’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Kalanchoe  plant named ‘Don Juan’, characterized by its upright and freely branching plant habit; dark green-colored leaves; red-colored double flowers with multiple petals per flower; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Don Juan’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is co-pending with the following related application: Title: Kalanchoe Plant Named ‘Don Domingo’. Applicant: Leonardus Johannes Maria van der Knaap.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe plant, botanically known as Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Don Juan’.

The new Kalanchoe is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to create new freely-flowering Kalanchoe cultivars with multiple flower petals, attractive flower coloration and excellent postproduction longevity.

The new Kalanchoe originated from a cross-pollination made in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands on May 26, 2003, of a proprietary selection of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana identified as code number 2000033, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana identified as code number 20000102-1, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Kalanchoe was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled environment in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands on Apr. 19, 2004.

Asexual reproduction of the new Kalanchoe by terminal cuttings at Naaldwijk, The Netherlands, has shown that the unique features of this new Kalanchoe are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Don Juan has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Don Juan’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Don Juan’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and freely branching plant habit.     -   2. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   3. Red-colored double flowers with multiple petals per flower.     -   4. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection primarily in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have purple-colored flowers. In addition, plants of the new Kalanchoe and the female parent selection differed in leaf margin.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe have double flowers whereas         plants of the male parent selection have single flowers.     -   2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe and the male parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         have yellow-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe differ from plants of the Kalanchoe cultivar Don Domingo, disclosed in a U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/259,310. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Kalanchoe differ primarily from plants of the cultivar Don Domingo in flower color as plants of the cultivar Don Domingo have salmon orange-colored flowers. In addition, plants of the new Kalanchoe have more petals per flower than plants of the cultivar Don Domingo.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can also be compared to plants of the Kalanchoe cultivar Don Frederico, disclosed in a U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/259,309. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands, plants of the new Kalanchoe differed from plants of the cultivar Don Frederico in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Kalanchoe had rounded apices and         obtuse bases whereas leaves of plants of the cultivar Don         Frederico had acute apices and bases.     -   2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had red-colored flowers whereas         plants of the cultivar Don Frederico had yellow-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Kalanchoe, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Kalanchoe.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering potted plant of ‘Don Juan’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Don Juan’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used in the photographs and for the following observations and measurements were grown in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands, under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse for about 14 weeks after planting with day temperatures ranging from 20° C. to 30° C., night temperatures ranging from 18° C. to 25° C. and light levels ranging from 5 to 60 kilolux. Plants used in the description and photographs were not pinched.

-   Botanical classification: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana cultivar Don Juan. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Kalanchoe             blossfeldiana identified as code number 2000033, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Kalanchoe             blossfeldiana identified as code number 20000102-1, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at 21° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 14 days at 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form/growth habit.—Upright and rounded plant habit; freely             flowering habit with numerous compound cymes. Actual plant             shape will depend on whether or not plants are pinched             (terminal apices removed). Vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—About 14 lateral branches per plant.             Pinching is not required but will enhance lateral branch             development.         -   Plant height at flowering.—About 18 cm.         -   Plant diameter at flowering.—About 31 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 10 cm to 14 cm.             Diameter: About 5 mm. Internode length: About 1 cm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Length:             About 5 cm to 14 cm. Width: About 2.5 cm to 11 cm. Shape:             Ovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Crenate.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             leathery; succulent. Venation pattern: Pinnate; reticulate.             Color: Developing foliage, upper surface: 137A. Developing             foliage, lower surface: 146A. Fully expanded foliage, upper             surface: Close to 147A; venation, 146B. Fully expanded             foliage, lower surface: 147B; venation, 147B. Petiole             length: About 1 cm to 1.5 cm. Petiole diameter: About 6 mm             to 8 mm. Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Petiole color, upper surface: 146B. Petiole color,             lower surface: 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Double flowers with multiple petals             arranged in compound dichasial cymes that arise from leaf             axils. Freely flowering habit. Flowers persistent.         -   Natural flowering season.—Flowering year-round when flower             initiation and development is induced under short day/long             night conditions.         -   Time to flower.—About ten weeks with short day/long night             conditions are required to produce flowering plants. Time to             flower is primarily dependent upon temperature and light             intensity.         -   Post-production longevity.—Plants of the new Kalanchoe             maintain good leaf and flower substance for about four to             six weeks under interior environmental conditions.         -   Cyme height.—About 3 cm to 4.5 cm.         -   Cyme diameter.—About 6 cm to 7.5 cm.         -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering, potentially about 144             flowers per plant.         -   Flower buds.—Shape: Ovoid. Length: About 5 mm. Width: About             4 mm. Color: 37B.         -   Flower diameter.—About 1.8 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 1.3 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity: About 25 per flower. Length: About 1.3 cm.             Width: About 5 mm. Shape: Spatulate. Apex: Apiculate. Base.             Fused. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Glabrous, smooth. Color: When opening, upper surface: 46B to             46C. When opening, lower surface: 41C; towards the base,             37B. Fully opened, upper surface: 46C; color becoming closer             to 45C with development. Fully opened, lower surface: 41C,             towards the base, 37B.         -   Sepals.—Quantity: About four per flower. Length: About 7 mm.             Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base:             Fused. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Glabrous, smooth. Color: When opening and fully opened,             upper surface: 144A. When opening and fully opened, lower             surface: 144A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: about 9 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm to 5 mm.             Angle: Erect to about 45° from vertical. Strength:             Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146C.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Angle:             Erect to about 45° from vertical. Strength: Moderately             strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Stamen number: About six per             flower. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther shape: Oval.             Anther color: 60B. Pollen amount: None observed. Pistils:             Pistil number: About four per flower. Pistil length: About             8 mm. Style length: About 2 mm. Style color: 145A. Stigma             shape: Round. Stigma color: 145D. Ovaries: Superior and             four-celled. Ovary color: 145A.         -   Seeds.—Seed development has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to known pathogens and pests     common to Kalanchoe has not been observed on plants of the new     Kalanchoe grown under commercial greenhouse conditions. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Kalanchoe have been     observed to tolerate temperatures from 5° C. to 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe plant named ‘Don Juan’, as illustrated and described. 